


I Found a Home in You

by Bincal



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Mystery, Seventeen is a clan, Slow Burn, Swords & Sorcery, Wizards, horses bc hell yeah, in particular with soonyoung's past, ish, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28383042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bincal/pseuds/Bincal
Summary: "Part of him wants to press a thumb to the smile’s soft crease: ingraining the touch of it to memory so that in the late hours of approaching night, when he lays in bed and cannot help the way his mind wonders to thoughts darker than a moonless sky, he can draw the reminiscence of its shape against his hip."Soonyoung is a runner, he always has been. Whether he’s running from his past or from his feelings: he has never been able to confront the things that mattered, opting for a life where he is always on the move.And yet, even as his past catches up to him at an alarming pace, Soonyoung craves a sense of belonging: a place he can call home.He just never thought he would find it within an invisible sorcerer village, in the wicked smile of the soon-to-be clan leader.
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi
Comments: 22
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> IF YOU'RE HERE FROM MY IKON FICS- I'm sorry if you feel betrayed becasue I haven't been updating anything. I still have full intention to finish Hiraeth. But I've just been struggling with writing iKON content recently,and in particularly Hiraeth become quite personal for me and was just not something I was in the right headspace to continue at the time. I don't want to keep everything else I've written unreleased just because I feel bad for not being in the right state to update one of my fics right now, so I've decided to start posting things again. Hiraeth is currently on hold due to my situation, but I really do intend to complete it. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy some of my other fics! I worked really hard on this one!!

_ “I suppose, regardless of clan, title, power or even connections, everyone is afraid in the end... even me… _

_ I don’t want to die, after all." _

  
  


**D-21**

Soonyoung gently pushes on the spruce door, listening for that familiar stuttering creak of wood, and the rusty bell that’s been forced to chime its exhausted song for too many years without rest.

“My poor friend,” he coos aloud, “how long will they force you to sing so unwillingly before they give you the retirement you deserve?”

“Are you talking to inanimate objects again?” A voice calls out from somewhere inside the room, its source currently hidden from view, not that he needs to see its owner to know who it belongs to. “I see those 6 months did nothing for your sanity.”

“I’ll have you know that inanimate objects are my lifelong companions. On the road, they’re the only things I can talk to. Except Spirit.” Soonyoung steps into the room properly now, letting the door swing shut behind him with a loud bang that reverberates in the equally ageing walls. “Who’s to say  _ you’re  _ not an object? I could have been talking to a canvas all these years and I would have been none the wiser. That would certainly explain the height.”

Jihoon’s head pops out from behind the counter then, slightly outgrown hair falling into glaring eyes, only to send a greatly unamused expression before it ducks behind cover again. “At least your humour is as dry as always. So how long have you been preparing that joke? Months?”

“You should be honoured, you're the only person lucky enough to receive all my carefully crafted jokes from those months of solidarity.”

“Sure. You can go back to saying them to your knife collection, or whatever it is you talk to.”

They fall into a slight silence, Jihoon still busy doing something behind the counter while Soonyoung starts peering around the shelves. He moves to pick up a bottle he hasn’t seen before, barely eyeing the incomprehensible writing on its label, opting to slosh it around in his hand and attempting to sniff the liquid through its air-tight cap. 

“Stop touching things.”

“You can’t even see me.” He puts the bottle back anyway with a pout, stepping back to restart his exploration. 

“No, but I know you. You’re not hard to predict.” Jihoon finally stands up at that, pulling a few bags up with him and pushing them out of the way to the side of the counter.

Soonyoung eyes the bags subtly. “Awaiting someone?”

“My clan’s trader, he should be here soon.”

“Oh.” He shifts awkwardly, peering idly towards the only existing window in the room, though it’s been boarded with wooden panels to block any natural sunlight from actually entering. Soonyoung had asked Jihoon about it once, years ago, to which he replied that sunlight can make potions lose their potency faster. He himself doesn’t know much about potion making but he can’t help thinking it’s mostly an excuse, the real reason having more to do with Jihoon’s deliberate hermit lifestyle.

Jihoon sighs at his response, resting his head in his hand as he leans onto the wood before him. “You’re welcome to stay, and whatnot.”

“You sure? It won’t be weird?” 

Jihoon shoots him an exasperated look, already tired of the conversation. “The only  _ weird  _ thing here is your inability to socialise like a normal human being.”

_ I don’t want to hear that from you _ , he thinks. Their mutual social constipation had been a topic of so-called ‘bonding’ for them. Soonyoung, who spends so much time alone that he’s just forgotten how normal conversation works anymore; and Jihoon, who gets tired too easily of anything that’s not either his bed or his cauldron. It’s why he volunteered to even be here, selling magical items in a Neutral Town called Pledis as a clan representative, and not back home at his village where all his clan members reside. If Neutral Towns had existed 10 years ago, maybe Soonyoung would have done the same.

As it stands, Neutral Towns are a fairly new concept, the first having been introduced only 7 years ago. The idea was so well received that within a few years there were dozens all around the continent, and now it’s a key aspect in flourishing a village. It serves as a trading hub where people of all clans can gather and sell their clan’s specialist goods. For sorcerer clans this means magical items, like in Jihoon’s case; but for warrior clans this means weaponry or armour; for farmers it’s crops; for hunters it’s rare materials carved from all sorts of monsters; the list goes on. 

There’s only one rule: in order to buy, you must sell. That’s where the clan representatives come in, people who take on the role of living in the Neutral Town in order to sell its clan’s goods. It can be a very lonely and depressing job, so far away from all your friends and family. Unless you’re Jihoon, of course. 

“So what do you need this time?” Jihoon finally asks after Soonyoung has been standing in silence for too long. 

“Oh, um. Just the basics, for now. I still haven’t decided where I’m going next so I’ll be in town for a few weeks at least.” Jihoon nods and comes out from his spot to start collecting things. Soonyoung watches him as he starts grabbing familiar bottles and stones off the shelves and bringing them back to the counter. As always, he places marks on the few bottles that look the same to distinguish them, knowing that Soonyoung can’t read Neralium (the universal language of trading). “You have a lot more new stuff than usual.”

“Yeah, well, the soon-to-be Veneer is a young lad just flowing with ideas. He’s been sending me new recipes all the time lately.” 

Soonyoung huffs at that. “The modern youth is in a league of its own.” 

“He’s not  _ that _ young, he’s probably about the same age as you.”

“You don’t know my age.”

“No, but I can roughly guess. You’re definitely not old enough to be talking about people in their early 20’s like that.” Jihoon’s hands haven’t stopped moving, carefully placing the items into a thick cotton pouch stuffed with some kind of fabric to prevent the glass from breaking, but his eyes flicker towards Soonyoung with a rare expression that he can’t fully identify. Curiosity, perhaps. Or maybe even apprehension. “He’s working on a pretty powerful protective stone. I think you’d like it, once he masters the recipe.”

Soonyoung does perk up at that. “More powerful than the stuff you give me? When will it be complete?” 

“I don’t know.” Jihoon replies, by now finished with packing everything and just staring back openly. “He said he’s missing some kind of key ingredient, but it’s really rare and hard to get a hold of.”

“Is it monster material?”

“I don’t think so.” 

“Then I guess I can’t really help. Plus, once I leave this time, I don’t know when I’ll be back. It’ll be a lot longer than 6 months.” Jihoon opens his mouth to say something in response but the door is suddenly swung open so forcefully that it slams right into the wall, causing the adjacent shelves to shake aggressively, fortunately not breaking anything. Soonyoung doesn’t even have time to fully turn around before a loud “GUESS WHO’S HERE” is called out. 

Jihoon, to put it frankly, is not impressed. “Seokmin. How many  _ fucking times  _ have I told you NOT to slam the door open like that.”

The boy that had made such a grand opening isn’t fazed by the hostility in the slightest, instead his eyes zero in on the third party in the room. “Who’s this? Is he a customer? A friend? Or maybe, _ oh my Sorcerer, _ has Jihoon finally found  _ a lover- _ ” 

“Seokmin, I swear on the Mighty Seventeen that one day I  _ will  _ skin you alive.” At this Seokmin does wince, muttering a small ‘okay, not a lover, got it’ to himself. His attention on Soonyoung doesn’t waver, however. If anything, it intensifies.

Eventually, caving under the attention, Soonyoung speaks up. “I’m a- customer. Um, and I was just leaving.” 

“No, you weren’t. I still need to enchant you.” Which is true, because as well as selling magical items Jihoon can also perform chants to promote all sorts of buffs or benefits. It’s something Soonyoung can’t really go without, he reckons he’ll need the Health Buff and Pain Relief chants even more in the upcoming weeks. But Jihoon really couldn’t have chosen a worse time to bring that fact up, judging by the way the newcomer’s eyes light up.

“Can I help-”

“No.”  _ Thank you.  _ At least Jihoon still holds  _ some  _ sympathy for Soonyoung, then. “But I need to go prepare the enchantment circle, so keep him some company until I’m done.” 

Soonyoung takes it back. Jihoon hates him and wants to watch him suffer.

Fifteen minutes without Jihoon pass and Soonyoung surprisingly  _ doesn't  _ feel like drowning his head in the barrel of soaked frog feet that he knows Jihoon keeps in the other room. Seokmin, (despite his loud entrance, and loud voice, and loud laugh, and just about loud  _ everything _ ), is actually really friendly. There’s a sort of easygoing innocence that flows from him in waves, and it puts Soonyoung at ease remarkably quickly. 

“-so that’s how our clan was called the Seventeen Sorcerer Clan, to commemorate the seventeen sorcerers that founded it. They’re all dead now, of course, but their legacy is carried on through the Veneer, the crowned leader of the clan, and he’s in charge of protecting the village.”

“And how do they choose the Veneer?” Talking to Seokmin has also made Soonyoung realise just how little Jihoon had actually told him about his clan, so he can’t help but be intrigued by its remarkable history.

“He’s picked by the previous Veneer, every ten years. I think being the Veneer is really draining, to have to constantly use your power to protect the village like that, so to prevent it from permanently damaging someone ten years is the limit. It’s usually the strongest sorcerer of the village, or the best leader. Of course we can all perform sorcery, it’s in our blood, but some people just  _ really  _ stand out. Not just anyone can possess power like that.”

“But the Veneer’s Successor does? Possess that much power, I mean.” Seokmin’s smile becomes more fond at that, his admiration for the future Veneer evident in his expression. 

“Yeah. He’s pretty incredible. He’ll be a great leader, I know it.  _ And  _ he comes up with so many new potions and recipes and chants-”

Soonyoung can’t help but laugh at that, the boundless positive energy from the other too contagious to resist. “So I’ve heard.”

Jihoon enters the shop area again, searching for something in a box behind the counter and seemingly paying them no mind. It has always confused Soonyoung, how a chant that’s uttered so quickly could need that much preparation. But then it is incredibly potent, not to mention that it lasts  _ months _ . Even longer when paired with Prolonging Potions.

“What about you?” Seokmin asks, though Soonyoung doesn’t fully register what he says, slightly distracted by the way Jihoon is now chopping some unknown ingredient into cubes. 

“What about me?”

“What clan are you from?” This jolts him. He sees Jihoon freeze too, suddenly interested in this change in conversation. 

His clan is something Soonyoung doesn’t talk about, hasn’t even uttered its name in 10 years. Not even Jihoon knows, though he may have his own theories.

“I don’t have one.” His eyes don’t leave Jihoon’s figure, the sorcerer’s expression blank and unreadable, but disappointment evident in the way his shoulders sag slightly as he continues his chopping. 

“What do you mean?” Soonyoung turns back to face Seokmin’s questioning stare, eyes wide with confusion. 

“I’m a freelancer.”

This only seems to confuse Seokmin more, his brows squeezing together. “Even if you’re a freelancer, you were born  _ somewhere _ . You must have had a clan at some point.”

The incessant determination makes Soonyoung pause. He’s not used to this level of interest from anyone, the closest experience to it he’s had in years being the rare disinterested question from Jihoon. A deeply buried part of him feels like it’s being prodded at, screaming to be heard, having had kept everything to himself for so long. “Yeah, um…” the words leave his lips unwillingly, or perhaps even inevitably, “I did at some point. It’s not really… there, anymore.”

His confession is followed by silence. He doesn’t even dare to look up and see the others’ reaction. Clan extinctions are rare, especially in recent years where peace between clans is being promoted through things like Neutral Towns and Trading.

“When are you leaving again?” Seokmin asks suddenly. 

“I… don’t know yet, I haven’t planned-”

“You haven’t made plans to leave yet?” When Soonyoung finally looks up, there’s an emotion in his eyes that Soonyoung struggles to look directly back at, the expression serious in a way that he never expected to see on the face of the previously laid back sorcerer. 

“No?” Soonyoung can’t seem to make sense of the situation, can’t even imagine where Seokmin is going with this. His response only strengthens the resolve in Seokmin’s demeanor, his hands clenching for a split second before his body relaxes completely and a simple smile replaces the troubling expression from before.

“Good. You’re coming back with me.” 

_ Huh? _

Jihoon seems to share his confusion, voicing it out loud. “What?”

But Seokmin ignores the shorter boy, moving closer to Soonyoung to emphasise his words. “We have a festival coming up, for the crowning of the new Veneer. Even Jihoon will be shutting his shop for a few weeks to come back to the village and join the celebration. I’m not saying you have to stay, but at least join the festival. You probably haven’t celebrated like that for a long time…”

Something clenches in his chest at that, a feeling he hasn’t felt in so long that he can’t even begin to decipher it. The feeling of being wanted, desired, expected. He has spent nearly ten years on the road with no sanctuary, travelling without a single responsibility to  _ be  _ anywhere, to  _ go back  _ to  _ anyone.  _ You could say his existence has no substance, so fleeting it’s almost a question why he’s still trying. 

Not even another ten years of solidarity could prepare him enough to say no. Or perhaps it’s exactly those ten years that make saying no so difficult, now. 

He can’t bring himself to care. Not when Seokmin pulls him into the first hug he’s received in nearly a decade, even more so when he spots the tiniest smile gracing Jihoon’s lips before he continues with whatever it is he was doing.

**D-18**

They leave three days later, all three of them. Seokmin arrived on a horse cart, probably to carry all the new goods for Jihoon’s trade. The things Jihoon had packed in bags for him ended up being goods from other clans: seeds for farming, some new materials, nothing too extravagant. He did spot what looked to be a sword wrapped in cloth being placed into the cart, though he didn’t ask about it. 

Soonyoung has a horse himself, a mahogany mustang called Spirit who has been his only true friend on his expeditions. They end up tying Spirit to the front of the cart alongside the other horse, some kind of gorgeous auburn stallion who Seokmin said is called Coco. 

The village is only a two day ride from Pledis Town, and the journey passes in a blur. 

It’s weird, travelling with someone else. It’s not something Soonyoung’s ever done before, except maybe with his dad for his first few hunts as a small kid. He was always an explorer, hunting in his name, and had started setting out for expeditions pretty much from the moment he learnt to properly yield a bow. (He opts for light daggers now, aware that his swiftness and speed is his greatest strength.)

He’s certainly not used to the constant buzz of sound that encompasses the whole journey. Seokmin is as loud and talkative as always, of course, but even Jihoon seems to come out of his shell and become more conversational. It makes Soonyoung doubt his prior misconceptions that Jihoon is happiest being alone, because he can’t deny that Jihoon has clearly  _ missed  _ this,  _ them _ . 

He supposes that no human can ever truly be happy alone, himself included.

Because no one comes out of their shell more during the ride than Soonyoung. It feels like he’s eaten one of those purple forest mushrooms that make him feel loopy and uncharacteristically giddy, because he can’t stop  _ laughing _ . He didn’t even know it was possible to laugh this much, considers that maybe there’s something wrong with him and he should request one of Jihoon’s General Healing Potions. But even Jihoon has laughed a few times, and now  _ that’s  _ a rare sight. Though with Seokmin being a literal materialisation of the sun and all good things in the world, maybe it’s not that unbelievable.

They arrive at dusk, just as the sun has said its final goodbye. Or at least, that’s what Seokmin tells him because as far as he’s concerned, they’re staring right into an empty plain with no buildings anywhere in sight. 

“Um… are you okay? I know I said earlier that travelling too long can make you hallucinate but I didn’t think it could happen this fast…” 

Seokmin only sends him a smirk before jumping off the cart and joining Jihoon who had already started walking ahead. Soonyoung scrambles after them in a state of confusion, maybe the village is underground or something? It’s unheard of, but you never know in this day and age. 

The sorcerers stop abruptly, Soonyoung barely preventing himself from walking right into the shorter of the two’s back. They stand still for a few very disconcerting moments, before Seokmin turns to Jihoon. 

“Shall I?” The other gives a noncommittal shrug, which Seokmin takes as some sort of confirmation before turning to face the front again. “You’re forgetting one very key fact, Soonyoung.” Said boy turns to him in question, awaiting an explanation of any sort. “ _ We’re Sorcerers _ .”

Then Seokmin utters what sounds like some sort of chant under his breath and, under the moon that has just begun to peek, an entire village starts materialising before his eyes. 

Magic exists. Soonyoung is aware of this, of course. Not every clan is capable of performing it, but it’s a fact that’s known as true just as much as knowing that the rising sun signifies the start of a new day. Magic resides in every aspect of nature, not just certain individuals. In fact, the way humans even achieved the ability to manipulate magic likely happened through some kind of interaction with the natural world hundreds of years ago. 

Soonyoung himself has had endless encounters with both the natural and unnatural magic of the world. But there are certain things that are considered impossible, at least with the unnatural magical ability that sorcerers harness. There are some things that can only be done using the purest form of magic itself, a type of magic that resides only in one of four very specific magical stones, The Holy Four, founded in the very core of the Earth itself. It’s a power unrivalled by anything humans could even wish to conjure. Soonyoung knows, he’s seen its power with his own two eyes.

Making an entire village and all its inhabitants disappear from the physical constraints of the world itself, is one of those powers. 

Because Soonyoung is no longer standing on an empty plain in the middle of nowhere. He’s standing at the very centre of an entire village, bustling with life. 

Suddenly, he feels weak. 

He’s surrounded by cheering, he thinks, though it sounds muffled to his ears. The Clan must have been waiting for the duo’s return, gathered in huddles around the stone square they had appeared in. A figure steps out from the crowd, their high status evident from how people quickly move out of the way to accommodate them. It’s an older man, likely the village Veneer if the fine cloak adorning his body in blue and gold is anything to go by. The two sorcerers beside him immediately lower their heads into a bow, Soonyoung following them on autopilot. 

He tries to calm his nerves, forcing a deep breath in through his nose and hands gripping the sides of his thighs to ground himself. He could be wrong, Jihoon  _ did  _ have some powerful potions after all. What’s to say this isn’t human magic either?

But when he raises his head again, Soonyoung’s eyes are immediately drawn to an object in the Veneer’s hand. It’s a wooden staff of sort, beautifully crafted, and at its end, secured in place by small wooden teeth, is a brightly glowing blue stone; and Soonyoung’s stomach drops. He can even name which of the Holy Four it is: The Stone of Protection, a stone that can only be used by sorcerers or witches, humans that already possessed unnatural power. The very stone he has been looking for all these years, yet now that it’s before him he doesn’t feel an ounce of relief. 

He feels dread, is  _ drowning  _ in it.

It should have hit him when Seokmin said they crowned Veneers every ten years. ‘Ten Years’, that most wretched number. It should have hit him even more when he discovered that the crowning of a new Veneer is in just over two weeks, because that same week marks the ten year anniversary of his clan’s extinction. 

It all makes sense now. 

Seokmin clearly doesn’t know about the Holy Four or how they work, because the reason Veneers are crowned every ten years is not due to its exhausting role. Every ten years a new Veneer is crowned; because that’s the time limit of using a Holy Stone. Then its power is unusable by the same person, and someone new must take on the task. 

Suddenly, the usually undetectable weight against his chest feels heavier than iron: constricting, suffocating. 

He doesn’t realise he’s hyperventilating, can’t hear the questions being called or see the concerned faces before him. As his vision darkens and his legs give out, his mind jarringly flashes back to a letter: its paper worn, dirty and bloodied, but the words on it alive with the unadulterated terror they carry.

_ ‘I don’t want to die, afterall.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYS this has been... a long time coming. i started writing this like 8 months ago? So it's been a while...
> 
> I do actually have around 7 chapters completed, but I was paranoid and wanted to finish writing it in its entirety before posting. But now I realised that I really want to post it and see what people think so... here goes.
> 
> It might not show yet, but I really have put a lot of effort into the world building and planning of this au, so I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm planning to post the other chapters one by one every two weeks, in order to give me some time to maybe complete more of what I haven't written. That way I won't just release everything at once only to leave you waiting months for the next update...
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments, feedback is soo appreciated!! Alternatively, head over to my twt to dm me or anonymously say something on my curiouscat (linked in bio).
> 
> I do also have an ikon twt acc, but I haven't really been using that one lately so if you want to contact me it's best to use my multi one.
> 
> multi twt account: @im_ajbinc  
> cc: in twt bio


	2. Easier Said Than Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I said two weeks...
> 
> I promise I had good reason!!! (I didn't - I just kept forgetting... SORRY)

**D-15**

Soonyoung is floating. He must have finally died, flown away to heaven and now rests atop the softest clouds. There’s no other explanation for the level of comfort he currently feels. 

Then the sensations solidify and he becomes more aware of the blanket brushing against his skin, the pillow pressing into his cheek. He doesn’t open his eyes immediately, the events leading up to his breakdown replaying in his head like a broken flip book with too many missing pages.

Despite his self-awareness, he can’t bring himself to feel stressed about it like he would expect. It’s almost nauseating  _ how calm  _ he actually feels. 

His expression must have looked troubled, as another voice speaks up from inside the room, hitting the nail of his concerns on the mark. “You’ve been given a Calming Potion, in case you’re wondering about that.” Soonyoung forces his expression to relax, deciding to deal with the looming issues later, and proceeds to squint at the other figure in the room. It’s a young man he’s never seen before, with smooth dark hair similar in style to Jihoon but neater, glossier. He has a sharp nose and jawline, but there’s a gentleness in his expression that still makes him look soft and kind. 

If princes still existed in this age, Soonyoung imagines they would look just like this.

“Are you the Healer?” 

The stranger laughs, an earthly sound that has Soonyoung acutely aware of just how deep his voice is. “I’m the reason for the festival.’ He says with a smirk, a wicked glint in his eyes that Soonyoung can’t stop staring at, the expression making him look even more attractive. 

Well, it sure has been a while since Soonyoung felt  _ attraction.  _

“They leave the Veneer’s successor to heal random strangers?” 

The sorcerer chuckles again, “I didn’t do anything, actually. Seokmin treated you himself,  _ insisted on it, _ saying it’s apparently his fault since he brought you here or something. He’s just had to go with Jihoon to update the Veneer on his journey, so he asked me to watch you in his stead.”

Soonyoung nods at that, relaxing a little into the softness of the bed. “The bed is comfortable.” It’s barely a mutter, spoken more to himself than with the expectation of a reply, but the other hears him anyway. He lets out another one of his chesty laughs, head thrown back from its abruptness.

“Good thing you’ll be sleeping here for the next few weeks, then.” 

_ The next few weeks.  _

Soonyoung won’t even survive that long. And at this rate, neither will the Veneer’s successor, nor Seokmin or Jihoon, the villagers,  _ anyone.  _

He can see the other man scrutinising him while his mind races, likely watching the array of emotions play out on his face. He may not be able to feel his stress right now, but he sure as hell can feel  _ despair _ . 

There’s a sigh, then suddenly onyx eyes are positioned only a few centimetres from his; boring into his soul with a new intensity. “What is causing you so much concern?” 

Soonyoung supposes that unfounded curiosity is a clan trait for these sorcerers. He truly isn’t appreciating it in this scenario, because it makes him  _ want  _ to say it, even though he knows he  _ can’t. _ He needs more information first, needs to think of a plan. He can’t spring this information onto just anyone, not unless he has a solution to offer with it.

So he pulls back and stands up from the bed instead, unable to bear staying in its deceitful safety any longer. “What time is it?”

The sorcerer watches him with wistfulness for only a moment before giving him a soft smile. “Time for breakfast,” he responds and directs Soonyoung out of the small hut, leading him to a large dining area outside. “We like to all eat together. You’re a little late, but the chefs are still here so I’ll get them to cook you up something nice.” 

It’s not the first time Soonyoung is forced to notice how strong the community in this village is, but it’s the first time he properly makes a note of it. It only hurts more, knowing it’s exactly the kind of place he has longed for and dreamed of for so long. Now, it will be the last place he’ll ever see. 

He feels the nudge of a shoulder and looks to his right, noticing that the sorcerer has settled down next to him at his table. “Stop thinking.” Soonyoung takes a sharp breath at that, unaware he had been so obvious, and looks down in embarrassment. Fortunately, the other spares his misery and changes the conversation. “Your name is Soonyoung, right?” 

“Yeah. Seokmin told you, I suppose.” 

“It was less him telling me and more him screaming your name loud enough for the whole village to hear when you collapsed.” The retort comes with an easygoing smile, tilted slightly higher at one end. 

It makes Soonyoung snort. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised if the whole village knows my name now.” He repositions his body to face the stranger properly, deciding to wallow in his own misery later. “And what’s  _ your  _ name, Mr soon-to-be-Veneer.” 

The title makes the other’s smile widen to a toothy grin, “Wonwoo.”

They exchange soft smiles, then a handshake as they greet each other properly, and Soonyoung feels something in his heart settle. There’s a sort of calm easiness that radiates from the other, not alike to Seokmin’s more boisterous energy, and it makes Soonyoung feel that pushing his issues to the back of his mind for just a little longer wouldn’t be so bad, after all. 

When the food comes, two plates of some kind of cooked meat with bread which makes Soonyoung’s mouth water with its aroma alone, they eat side by side mostly in silence. It’s different to the endless conversation that Seokmin offers, but equally reassuring. Wonwoo points out something every now and then: the direction that the farms are located, the blacksmith that walks past them, the Church tower that stands impressively to the West of the Canteen. Soonyoung doesn’t say much back, doesn’t have to, other than a small comment or short question here and there. 

And so, unwillingly (or willingly?), Soonyoung learns more about the village that will inevitably become his end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What an optimistic note to end on!!! (I'm enjoying this too much)
> 
> So we meet Wonwoo!!! You probably weren't expecting to meet him so soon. Thoughts? We only got glimpses of more world-building and the other characters, but there will be a lottt more next chapter.
> 
> I know this has been a much shorter update than last time, but I promise this is the shortest chapter. The future ones will be longer again, this just so happens to be a bit of an awkward transitional / introductory chapter so I couldn't make it much longer. I'm going to post the next chapter sooner than I intended to make up for the shorter length (partly because I was so late with posting this one).
> 
> Small spoiler to get you hyped for next time: There will be MAGIC!! Woohooooo!!! (We're going to ignore the fact that there's been magic literally every chapter)


	3. You Reminded Me I Could Smile

**D-14**

He sees Magic again on the second day of his stay. 

He had spent the rest of the first day trying to get even a second of time to himself to plan but, as though everyone suddenly became determined not to leave him alone even momentarily, was constantly dragged off by  _ someone _ to see  _ something _ . Be that a tour around the village, or being introduced to seemingly  _ everyone _ . 

He had spotted Seokmin when he was walking with Wonwoo back from the Canteen, who upon reuniting practically threw himself onto Soonyoung with a hug. He tried to apologise, so concerned it was his fault, but Soonyoung told him it was just because he hadn’t seen so many people in such a long time. Which only made the apologetic expression on Seokmin turn even more distraught, so he placed a hand on each of Seokmin’s shoulders and stated firmly, “I’m  _ really  _ glad you brought me here.” 

Fortunately, that was enough, as Seokmin instantly lit up, asking about what he had done so far and telling him everything he planned to show Soonyoung that day. 

Despite everything, the Hunter couldn’t help but smile at that. Seokmin was too good for the world, and he never wanted to see him upset again. 

It had taken more effort than expected to follow Seokmin and leave behind Wonwoo who, in his peripheral, was staring at him with an interest so raw that Soonyoung felt like withering in its gaze. 

Or perhaps he felt like blooming; in a bizarre and inexplicable way.

It is said Veneer he stands next to today: in a small, musky room; lit only by a chipped lantern hanging on the low ceiling (it turns out the thing Jihoon said about natural sunlight being bad for magical items is true, though Soonyoung still prefers his own theory); tinged with a sharp scent he’s detected many times in the back room of Jihoon’s shop. ‘It’s the smell of garlic’, Wonwoo had said, ‘It’s added to potions to preserve their potency’. 

“I’ll show you some  _ real  _ sorcery. The little buff potions Jihoon cooks for his shop are child’s play.” 

Soonyoung looks into the cauldron, hues of turquoise and sapphire swirling in the metal. He doesn’t bring up the fact that Jihoon’s potions have some of the most powerful unnatural magic he has ever seen; there’s a reason it’s his shop Soonyoung always comes back to despite all the wonders he has witnessed on his travels. He also doesn’t bother mentioning that human sorcery is “child’s play” in comparison to natural magic, that nothing Wonwoo brews in this cauldron or chants with his lips could rival the power contained in the little stone that peeks from the tip of a staff in this very village. 

“What does it do?”

“You’ll see.” There’s a sort of giddiness in Wonwoo’s voice when he says it and Soonyoung has to refrain from looking. Something he discovers about the sorcerer very quickly is that not once, in the long list of villages he’s had to pass through in his years, has he ever been so affected by a smile; so  _ intoxicated _ . Something about its easiness makes Soonyoung’s stomach tilt, his heart quicken, his palms sweat. Part of him wants to press a thumb to its soft crease: ingraining the touch of it to memory so that in the late hours of approaching night, when he lays in bed and cannot help the way his mind wonders to thoughts darker than a moonless sky, he can draw the reminiscence of its shape against his hip.

Wonwoo gives one final swirl before removing the mixing rod to switch to a large ladle, pouring the finished product into a glass flask and raising it to his eyes for inspection. Seemingly satisfied with the outcome, he nods to himself and offers it to Soonyoung, who eyes it with suspicion.

“It won’t turn me into a toad or anything equally weird, will it?” Wonwoo just laughs at his apprehension, a hand flying to hide the way his mouth snaps open unexpectedly. 

“ _ No _ , what do you take me for? It’s just… it’ll be cool, I promise. I think you will like it. Drink all of it.” 

Having to fend for himself so long should have taught Soonyoung to never trust anyone’s word but his own, a key aspect of surviving in this cruel world. But, despite his nervousness, he can’t bring himself to say no to this stranger. It should frighten him, but he only finds himself relieved. It’s nice, for once, to trust someone so easily. Exhilarating, even.

He looks up for the last time, locking eyes with Wonwoo’s anticipating gaze, then downs the liquid in one go. 

At first he doesn’t feel any different. No tingling, no surging, nothing to signify any change. Then a tinge of pain as slight as that of an eyelash makes his eyes water, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. 

When he opens them again, he feels his breath falter.

Surrounding him are swirls and twirls of illuminating colours; reds, greens, blues, yellows; winding and dancing around the enclosed room. Some appear to begin in the cauldron then rise outward like waterfalls, others spin around potions and stones scattered all across the shelves. 

He hears the slight chuckle from the man beside him at his reaction, belatedly remembering he’s not alone, and turns to him. 

If he thought the room looked breathtaking, nothing could beat how the potion has affected his view of the sorcerer. Wonwoo is  _ glowing _ , shimmering in endless shades of green: bright limes and gentle olives, sharp emeralds and soothing junipers. Soonyoung thinks of wind-swept grass, swaying willows, blooming calatheas and actaea, as though all their vibrant colours have come alive to offer Wonwoo a performance.

“What is this? What is it showing me?” 

“Magic.” Wonwoo lifts a hand, palm facing Soonyoung, showing how the colours glimmer there brightest, almost solid against its surface. “It’s a Magic Tracer, paints magical paths. That’s why things that are the most rich with magic: the cauldron, magical items,  _ sorcerers,  _ all glow the strongest.” 

Soonyoung nods, though he’s still feeling mind blown, unable to fully comprehend what he’s seeing. “It’s… incredible.”

“Just wait till you see outside.” 

Soonyoung finds his eyes tearing away from the palms that are still before him, turning instead in question to the other’s expression.

“You think unnatural paths are incredible? Wait till you see the natural magic paths that dwell in nature.” 

Wonwoo’s right, of course, because when they step outside they’re surrounded by waves of colours, so much brighter than any he saw inside. Sparkles of honey and gold that trail after birds, bouncing teals that hop like frogs across the water of ponds. 

The villagers shine too, of course. But Soonyoung finds that nobody’s colours can even compare to Wonwoo’s.

There’s a large stream that seems to gather towards one of the bigger huts, climbing so high in the sky that he can’t even see its end. Shades of blue, some of which he’s never even laid eyes on before, all flowing to a certain source, so bright he almost feels the need to look away. Soonyoung knows what it is instantly, having been told the previous day which hut accommodates the present Veneer for most of the day. 

Wonwoo must catch him staring, mistaking his distraction for confusion. “There’s probably a lot of paths that point to the Veneer. Well, it’s actually to the Veneer’s staff. There’s a stone on it that’s really powerful, it’s what lets him protect the village like that.”

_ He knows. _ Soonyoung takes a sharp inhale, suddenly hyper aware of the fact that Wonwoo has a potion that lets him  _ see magical paths _ , and what exactly that will mean if Wonwoo decides to use it himself in Soonyoung’s presence. He doesn’t know how much Wonwoo  _ really _ knows: if he knows about the stone’s rarity, the time limit, the price of using one. But he knows enough to tell it’s more powerful than the average stone, and that’s already a threat. 

“Is that so… sounds pretty cool.” Wonwoo’s eyeing him, no doubt noticing the tenseness in Soonyoung’s reply. He’s silent for a moment, as though contemplating his response, before resorting to a shoulder nudge to regain the Hunter’s attention. 

“Not as cool as my Potion though.” 

Soonyoung does look back at this, basking in the way that Wonwoo’s still glowing figure melts his prior worries to goo, as though their importance is secondary to the man before him. A smile escapes easily, to be quickly reciprocated by the other. “Of course not,” he responds, “Coolest potion I’ve ever seen.” 

“Good, ‘cause I’ve got way more to show you. We’re only getting started.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you know how I said chapter 2 was the only short chapter... 
> 
> I'M SORRY! I honestly forgot how short this chapter was! But I can guarantee for sure this time (I checked) that this is the last chapter that will be this short. Next chapter is 4k words!! Also a lot of introductions coming up and a few hints to Soonyoung's past, so look forward to that :)
> 
> I'm sorry for posting so late!! I keep saying one week and then forgetting that one week is 7 days not like 30... We're in quarantine here and it has ruined my sense of time completely. Also, I got cursed by the phenomenon known as VTubers and suddenly any presence of free time has been thrown out the window. So. That happened.
> 
> But we finally got a look at some magic in action! Thoughts? Honestly, the scene where Soonyoung turns to Wonwoo to see all the shades of green swirling around him as been replaying in my mind for ages as something I would love to draw, although I'm not sure I'm a talented enough artist for that so it may have to just remain in the confinement of my own imagination...
> 
> Once again I'll try to post earlier next time!! This time I promise!!!!!!!!! I can be trsuted I swear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T.T

**Author's Note:**

> multi twt account: @im_ajbinc  
> cc: in twt bio


End file.
